Song Of Sea And Sky
by samus18
Summary: A stranger has been lurking on the outskirts of Atlantica, and soon proves to be a bigger mystery to its people than anyone had anticipated. Rating may change later, we'll see.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Not at all sure where I'm going with this, I'm partly writing it out of boredom (which is naughty of me, since I have a whole slew of stories that aren't yet finished, and here I am starting a new one, lol.) Anyway, hope you enjoy my...boredom-inspired story…?

Song Of Sea And Sky

Melody had to admit that it was good to be so close to home.

Now a young woman in her twenties, she'd gone with her father on one of his oversea voyages while her mother had stayed at the castle. The voyage had lasted many, many months, and although the majority of it had been filled to the brim with duties befitting a monarchy, it had also been tremendously exciting for the young princess. This was the first truy-long voyage that Melody had been on with her father, and every moment had bursted with new sights, new sounds - even new tastes. Her part in it had been bigger than she would have cared for (she was, after all, the daughter of a king and queen), but she stuck to her part as best she could, willing to sacrifice personal pleasure for more important things.

'Important for the kingdom, anyway,' she'd thought at the time.

And of course, the voyage home was much slower than it would have been, had her grandfather, King Triton, allowed her to make it as a mermaid.

It was something of a sore topic. Melody had long come to terms with the fact that she was a human who shared half her lineage with the merfolk, but it didn't allow her to change into a mermaid at will. Only her grandfather had the power to do that, and although he did it plenty and often (mostly for family reunions, or when Melody wished to spend time with her undersea relatives), it didn't quite satisfy her not-so-secret wish that she could have a tail whenever she wanted to.

Her parents understood her sentiments, of course, but there was little they could do about it. King Triton couldn't always be at his granddaughter's beck and call, much as he loved her and would probably spoil her if given half the chance. Ariel, in particular, understood her daughter's longing to be equally part of both worlds, and she often talked about it with Eric. They had assumed, for a while, that in time Melody would come to accept the way things were, but as she matured and years passed, her love for the oceanic kingdom remained as strong as it did for the one on land.

It had been Eric's idea to allow Melody to accompany him on his voyages. He thought perhaps that traveling the ocean might help, if even a little, ease her pains of not being able to dwell within it at will. The kingdom was at peace, thankfully, so there really ought not to have been any voyage she couldn't accompany him on.

Melody was all for the idea, and of course Ariel had agreed. Mostly, their excursions had been short, and it was true that sailing over the sea did help Melody feel closer to it. Eric had been happy to see that his suggestion was working.

This last one had taken the cake, though. It was the longest that Melody had ever been on, and even she had to admit that all the new things she'd seen had somewhat taken her attention off the sea for a while. Now, after months of traversing the open ocean on their way home, she began to realize how homesick she had been. She missed the wide halls, the banquet room and the kitchens. She missed picking on Louie when he was busy in the kitchen and chatting with Carlotta when she did the laundry. She was ready to throw open the wide windows of her bedroom and flop on the bed, listening to the sighing sound of the sea. Then of course there was Sebastian.

A smile played across her face as she leaned on the bulwark near the stern. Although Sebastian wasn't as young as he used to be, the spritely crab still had a lot of spunk left in him. There was never a dull moment around Sebastian - a fact that Ariel would secretly disagree with, having had to spend much of her youth listening to his lectures and reprimands. But he amused Melody. For much of her childhood, Melody had not known that Sebastian could communicate not just with her mother, but with other humans. It had been a relief when the truth had finally come out in the open, not just about Melody's communication with sea creatures, but the ancestry of her mother (and her, as well.)

She inhaled deeply, taking in the beautiful scene before her. Another sunset had graced the horizon, casting the sea in a dusky purple glow. In less than a day, they would be within sight of home.

A breeze kicked up, blowing her dark hair in front of her face. She squinted and brushed it back, but it refused to cooperate.

"Hey, princess," her father's voice approached along with his footsteps.

"Hi, daddy," she said, still trying to keep her hair out of her face.

Eric chuckled as he watched his daughter fussing, and moved so that she could face him with the wind in her face. "Are you happy to be heading home, or sad that the voyage is over?"

"A little of both," she admitted, smiling now that her hair was under control. She had grown into a beautiful young woman, earning her numerous admirers throughout the province, royal and otherwise. Her long, dark hair went down nearly to her waist, and her eyes were as blue as the sea. She'd never taken to any of her suitors, though.

For some time, this was because she harbored a crush on Jeremy, but that had been a teenage crush. They'd been something of a couple for a while (at least, as much as they could be, given the barriers), but had come to be content just being friends as they matured. Melody wasn't even upset when she found out that Jeremy had recently entered into a relationship - with a mermaid, of course, as was proper.

"Truth be told," she said, presently, "I actually missed home more than I thought I would."

He nodded, a knowing look on his face as he leaned on the bulwark. "Being on a voyage will do that to you."

"You've always loved the sea, though. I remember when you told mother that you often felt more at home while you were out sailing."

He smiled. "True. But you can't avoid the pull of home forever. Sailing was the most exhilarating thing I did when I was young, and it still is. But at the end of the day, it's nice to come home to a warm fire and a soft bed."

"Yeah," she yawned. "Anyway...I still had a great time. Can I come with you on the next voyage?"

"We'll see," he replied, carefully. "You have duties to attend to yourself, you know."

"Oh, like what?" She moaned, even though she knew the answer.

"Like meeting Prince Aldin of Cathadia."

"I knew it," she said, pointing at him. Her blue eyes were on fire as she playfully accused her father. "I knew you were going to bring him up!"

He raised his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I don't like it any better than you, but I promised your mother I'd mention it to you."

Prince Aldin had been one of her more pressing suitors and had been insisting on meeting her formally. Melody, needless to say, abhorred the thought of an arranged marriage. Ariel and Eric, having married for love, could hardly blame her for feeling the way she did. Yet, the pressure of finding a suitable husband grew with every year that Melody remained single. Inwardly, they hoped that their daughter would develop a natural attraction to one of her suitors, but so far none of them had appealed to her. Ariel suspected that Prince Aldin would probably be no different (not least of all because of his pushy manner), but as queen, she was obligated to at least try.

Melody huffed as she slumped back on the bulwark. "Ok, you've mentioned it. Can we change the subject now?"

"Seeing as I'm off the hook, I guess so," he relented. He, too, felt the pressure of having an only daughter who was three things: royal, single, and beautiful. But it was the end of the day, and the last thing he wanted to do was nag her about finding a husband. That task had fallen more to Ariel as of late, anyway. After all, it wasn't easy for him, as her father, to think about giving away his only daughter to a man they barely knew. Yes, duty called for it, but like Melody, he was content to put it off yet another day.

Some time after the sun had disappeared behind the horizon, Melody retired to bed. She was content knowing that tomorrow, she would be within sight of home. It felt much longer than it really had been since she'd seen the beautiful castle by the sea.

* * *

The reunion of the royal family had been a magnificent one.

The entire kingdom had gathered by the docks to welcome home their king and princess. Musical instruments rang happily as they descended onto the dock in procession. Myriads of flowers were being passed to and fro, so much that their fragrance wafted into the air and mingled with the crisp scent of the sea. Children screamed and ran, dogs barked, and caterers were almost too busy to pay proper attention to the ceremony.

At the head of it all stood queen Ariel, prim and dressed in a pale-green gown for the occasion, wearing a joyful expression on her face. While there was no shortage of things to do at the castle without her king or princess, she had missed them terribly.  
As soon as they had set foot on solid land, they were rushed by an overjoyed, red-haired queen. Eric smiled, holding his wife lovingly. Ariel had another arm draped around Melody. A loving exchange of greetings were nearly lost in the din of the ceremonial welcoming.

"How did it go?" Ariel fairly shouted.

"What?" Eric shouted back.

Ariel just grinned and shook her head, interlocking her arm through his. She reached out with her other hand and took Melody's. "Let's head to the castle. Carlotta had Louie prepare a feast, and I have some exciting news to tell you."

Melody, who had inherited her mother's playful nature well into womanhood, looked at her with shining eyes. "What is it?"

"You'll have to wait and see," Ariel said in a tone that let her daughter know she had no intention of dropping any hints.

Her face took on a slight tinge of skepticism. "I hope it doesn't have anything to do with another suitor…?"

Ariel bit her lip. "That's another matter entirely. But no."

"Let's get to it, then," Eric said. "The fare on the voyage has been great, but I've actually missed Louie's cooking."

"Louie's a great cook," Melody defended.

"He is, he is," Eric said, "I'm just thinking about those few times he got a little too distracted, and the food ended up...well…"

"Strange?" Ariel offered.

"To put it mildly."

Melody let out a small giggle. "He hasn't done that in a long time, though. Especially not ever since he learned that Sebastian was a friend of ours."

This time it was Ariel who let out a laugh. Louie had rescinded his grudge against the small crab since learning that Sebastian was a childhood friend, mentor, and protector of queen Ariel. But that didn't mean he always got along with him.

"Oh, poor Sebastian…" Ariel was still grinning. Sebastian had overcome his fear of Louie, but in doing so, had been something of a torment to the chef over the years. Many's the time when Sebastian would be wandering by the kitchen doors, only to stop and tease Louie about whatever dish he was "concocting." Louie never retaliated except in heated words, and so their rivalry had really continued, but in a more peaceful manner. Sebastian wasn't the type to tease or poke fun at people, but perhaps the time he'd spent running from Louie and avoiding the pot prompted him to rub it in the chef's face that he was no longer to be seen as a dinner item. No one blamed him.

"How is Sebastian?" Melody asked.

"He's tired, and slow, but he sure hasn't lost his spark. _Or_ his tendency to lecture me on my queenly duties at any given chance."

The three shared yet another laugh, and they proceeded through the welcoming committee to the main entrance of the castle.

Later, when Eric and Melody had refreshed themselves, the family sat together in the private dining quarters. Melody tried not to prod her mother too much regarding the exciting news she'd mentioned, but at long last she could stand it no more.

"Well, mother?" She set down her fork. "What about the exciting news?"

Ariel smiled, and rested her folded hands on the table. "Well...your grandfather is going to hold a family reunion next month."

Melody's eyes lit up. "He is?"

She nodded. "Sebastian informed me this morning. I couldn't wait to tell you two, I know it's been a long time since you've last seen him."

"How about that," Eric said, grinning, "Guess this means my father-in-law will be accommodating me as well?"

"Of course he will," Ariel gave him a playful shove from across the table. "How long has it been since _you've_ visited Atlantica?"

"Too long. It has to be at least four years."

"This is great!" Melody said. "I've missed grandfather so much, not to mention the rest of the family."

"They come and visit plenty often," Ariel observed.

"That's true, but it's always different being in Atlantica. It's just not the same, you know?"

"We've got another trip to look forward to, now," Eric regarded his wife and daughter. "Another adventure to add under our belts, right?"

Ariel held her husband's gaze pensively, before turning to Melody. "Now...about Prince Aldin…"

Melody let out a groan that would have done justice to any teenager.

"I know, I know, but listen - I've postponed the meeting with him. I explained that there was important family business to attend to."

The dark-haired princess let out an audible sigh of relief. "Oh thank you, mother…"

" _Postponed_ , mind you," Ariel said, making sure her daughter understood that she was not completely off the hook.

Eric cleared his throat, and turned to Carlotta, who had bustled into the room. "Thank you, Carlotta. Please give our compliments to Louie, he's really outdone himself this time."

"I certainly shall," she said, beaming.

"Melody, would you mind giving your mother and I a moment?"

Melody looked from her father to her mother. "Not at all." She stood up from the table, but the look on her face told them that she was certain they were going to discuss Prince Aldin. To her credit, though, she said nothing of it and excused herself from the room after giving each parent a quick hug and kiss.

When he was sure she was gone, Eric looked at Ariel. "So...what's really going on?"

Ariel gave a playful grimace, then sighed. "You know me too well, Eric…"

"To be fair, I didn't suspect anything until I saw the look on your face a minute ago."

She quirked an eyebrow. "That's all it took, huh?" She leaned back in her chair. "Well, I might as well tell you. I received an...interesting report from Sebastian that came along with the invitation to the reunion."

Eric nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"...Sebastian delivered a letter from dad. Mostly he talked about how much he missed us all, and how he was looking forward to the reunion. All true, but I think it was just his way of working up to what he really wanted to tell me. It's nothing serious," she explained, noting the look on his face, "there have just been reports circulating Atlantica lately of a stranger lingering on the outskirts of the kingdom."

"A stranger?"

She nodded. "He didn't provide much detail. He did say our scouts had never seen him before, but most have only caught glimpses of him. Whoever and whatever he is, he tends to lurk in the shadows."

"Doesn't sound like something anyone would do unless they had something to hide," he observed.

She nodded. "That's a big part of why everyone's been suspicious about him."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Three weeks."

"And no one's been able to find out anything more?"

"No. Again, that's the strange part, and it's got some people on edge."

"I see..."

There was a pause, and Eric continued, "Does your father feel that it's safe enough to make the journey to Atlantica?"

"Oh he does." She shrugged. "There hasn't been any cause for alarm, not yet anyway. People are just being careful."

"Sure is an interesting mystery, though." He rubbed his chin.

"I agree." She leaned her elbows on the table, allowing a temporary breach in table manners etiquette. "I've been thinking about it on and off since Sebastian delivered the message. He went back to Atlantica as soon as he could."

"And all that anyone can make out so far is that this person - or creature - is a shadowy figure?"

"I know it's hard to believe...No one can make heads or tails of it."

"We'll have to tell Melody."

Ariel nodded, well aware that her daughter was not a child anymore. It didn't prevent her motherly instincts from surfacing, but in a matter like this one, it was best that everyone be aware of what was going on.  
A wistful look passed across her face. "It seems like only yesterday she was a running, laughing, playful child who I couldn't keep out of the sea." She chuckled.

He regarded her warmly. "She still is, in a lot of ways. She's a grown woman, but that inner child of hers is still very much alive. Just like it is in her mother." He reached a hand out to hold hers.

"We'll tell her about the situation in Atlantica tomorrow. I think we all could do with some rest and relaxation."

He nodded. "Agreed."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thank you, Guest, for being the first to review my story! I wasn't expecting to get a review this soon (if at all), lol!

Chapter 2

Four weeks could not pass quickly enough for Melody, even in spite of the questionable presence lingering near Atlantica.

She'd been surprised when Ariel had revealed to her the additional news, but didn't seem to think much of it, other than it being an interesting sort of mystery. Ariel had smiled, shaking her head. 'Just like her father,' she thought.

Preparations had been made for the kingdom to be safe and secure while the royal family was gone. It wasn't often that all three of them took an absence at once, but being that it was another branch of the royal family they were visiting, protocol had certainly allowed for it. The King and Queen were at ease; it was Grimsby who took it in turn to make sure that everything and everyone was prepared for their absence. Carlotta, on impulse, set to packing suitcases for the family, and Ariel had to remind her more than once that they wouldn't be needing land attire for this particular trip.

"It just doesn't work as well underwater, and dad will have everything we could possibly need."

Carlotta gave her Queen an apologetic smile, trying to hide the tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. She loved her King and Queen, and she loved her Princess dearly. When she'd been informed that they would be gone for two weeks, she said she would miss them all.

"It's only two weeks," Ariel said, putting comforting hands on the maid's shoulders. Grimsby, everyone knew, would miss them as well, but of course he hid it behind a busy facade.

Melody, although she would of course miss home and everyone in it, was also looking forward to reuniting with her grandfather, her aunts, and cousins. It felt as if it had been much longer than it really had since she'd seen her other family members.

Although she and her parents wouldn't need to be bringing any extra clothes, she did pack a few things in a satchel. It was the same one she'd used so many times as a youth while exploring the sea (before she'd been officially allowed in it.) Truly, though, there wasn't much that she could bring. Combs, hairpins, and any and all jewelry would either be provided for her in Atlantica, or otherwise just wouldn't survive for very long in the water. Melody hadn't taken to wearing jewelry on a regular basis, unless it was a special occasion. She did often wear a beautiful gold hairpin that her mother had given her for her sixteenth birthday, but that was it.

People often commented that Melody was so stunning, she really didn't need jewelry to adorn her appearance. These comments were delivered mostly to her parents, but sometimes Melody overheard them and would blush. Although she was a princess, she was modest and shy when it came to matters of relationships, or when people told her how lovely she was.

She stood beside her bed, looking around her room to see if there was anything she missed.

"And of course I can't bring my book…" she thought out loud, thinking of the novel that her best friend (on land), Isabel, had given her. Melody loved to read, and Isabel's book had certainly captivated her imagination. But she would have to wait to find out how the story progressed.

"I guess that's it," she muttered to herself. She sat on her bed, going through her things once more.

As she did, she thought of the journey they would soon be making to Atlantica, how wonderful the reunion would be, and of all the exciting things she would do while she was there. She wondered if aunt Alana remembered her promise to create one of her famous custom mud-masks for Melody, or Andrina's promise to introduce her to her best friend, a dolphin named Murrey.

...As for the matter concerning that stranger, whoever he was, Melody wasn't afraid.  
If anything, she found it almost exciting that something unusual was happening in Atlantica. Certainly, the creature couldn't have meant any harm. If he did, he would have done something by now, right? Even if he was up to something sneaky and biding his time, for whatever reason, she knew that no creature in the ocean could stand up to her grandfather's trident. Atlantica was one of the most powerful kingdoms in all the seven seas.

With that knowledge, Melody was fairly jumping at the chance to head to her mother's kingdom. She was more than ready.

* * *

When the day finally arrived - when the preparations were complete, and all the details wrapped up and attended to before the royal family was to depart - a more exciting moment hadn't been seen at the castle for some time.

Sebastian, due to his age, had stayed behind in Atlantica while a stronger, swifter messenger had arrived some days ago to let them know what time His Majesty, King Triton, would arrive.

The hour had come some time after sunup. Eric, Ariel, and Melody waited on the grand steps that led directly into the ocean. A short distance behind them stood Grimsby, Carlotta, and many other members of the royal court to see them off. Max, who years earlier would have been jumping to and fro during the excitement, had wobbled as far as he could, but was content to rest at the top of the flight of stairs. With a sigh of contentment, he lowered his head and watched as his master and best friend waited to depart with the others.

Ariel glanced at her daughter. "You ready, sweetheart?"

Melody nodded. "More than ready."

A murmur of excitement ran among the crowd as they noticed a spiral of bubbles emanating from the sea. An impressive assembly of mermen in well-polished armor rose up from the water in formation, signaling the approach of King Triton. The smile across Ariel's face grew wider as her father emerged from the ocean in a huge spray of glistening light and water droplets. Soon after, everyone on land bowed to show their respect to the ancient sea king.

Ariel was the first to look up, and before waiting for her father to turn her into a mermaid, she splashed into the water to greet him with a hug.

Triton laughed, and embraced her as well. Melody wasn't long in following, and Triton released his daughter to embrace his granddaughter. Then he approached Eric and shook his hand.

"Your Majesty," Eric greeted with a slight bow of his head.

"Your Highness," Triton did likewise.

"Are we ready?" Ariel asked, still standing waist deep in the water.

"We're ready now," Eric affirmed, with a nod over his shoulder to Grimsby, who returned it.

Eric stepped into the water to stand beside his wife and daughter; they knew what was coming next. Taking the cue, King Triton eased backward until he had ample space to aim the trident. With one smooth motion, he lowered the tip onto the water, and immediately a pool of light trailed its way toward the three humans.

Ariel and Melody closed their eyes. Eric did, too, but a slight crease in his brow indicated that he still wasn't as used to it as they were. It happened so fast, though. When they opened their eyes, they were no longer waist-deep in the water, but in up to their shoulders. Their legs had been replaced with fins.

Ariel's beaming smile returned, and she fairly jumped through the air and splashed into the water toward her father. "Thank you, daddy. We're ready."

Melody had retained her shining red tail, and followed her mother toward the undersea carriage awaiting them.

Eric hadn't been changed into a mer-person as often as his wife and daughter, but he adapted quickly enough to the change. He now resembled a merman with a tail as striking-blue as his eyes. With one last wave to his subjects on land, he thought, 'Here goes,' and sunk beneath the water to rejoin his family.

On land, the people clapped and cheered to see their rulers off.

Grimsby, clapping a little more delicately than the rest, turned to Carlotta. "I don't know about you, madame, but somehow I doubt I shall get used to the sight of Eric turning into a merman."

She let out a small giggle and lightly shoved his shoulder. "Come now, Grimsby, you've had years to get used to it."

"Perhaps," he allowed, "but each time he changes, it feels like the _first_ time."

"Oh, I doubt that," she replied, a surreptitious grin spreading across her face.  
She remembered well the first time that King Triton had transformed Eric into a merman. It had been, like now, for a family reunion, and because it was Eric's first visit to Atlantica, there was a big to-do on land and in the sea. Somehow or other, Grimsby hadn't been notified that Eric was going to have to change into a merman, temporarily (stranger still was the fact that it hadn't occurred to him exactly how Eric was going to do so _without_ being turned into a merman.)

As it turned out, Grimsby had arrived a little late to the seeing-off ceremony, but by the time he showed up (carrying a tray of hors devours exquisitely prepared by Louie), Eric was in the water without a shirt and sporting a blue fish tail.

Grimsby had been so surprised, he dropped the tray of food with a loud clatter, earning laughter from pretty much everyone present (much to his chagrin.)

Carlotta shook her head the memory, but she couldn't keep the smile off her face.

* * *

The carriage brought from Atlantica was magnificent.

It resembled (or perhaps was) a giant clamshell, facing upward, with portholes cut out of the side so the occupants could enjoy the view. It was a shadowy blue, but adorned with shining red, yellow, and white seashells, pearls, and coral that had been hand-carved into many unique shapes. The carriage was supported by four strong seahorses.

Ariel had gasped when she noticed the dark purple one at the head. "Is that…"

Triton nodded. "That's Lightning."

Lightning was Stormy's son. Stormy was the wild, temperamental seahorse that Ariel had adopted in her youth. When he had passed away due to old age, she had grieved. But weeks later, Triton had discovered that Stormy had a son, and adopted him into the royal stables. He knew it was Stormy's son because no other seahorse ever came in that shade of purple. It had been wonderful when he'd first introduced Ariel to him, during one of their family reunions. Although Ariel had been living on land at the time, she made it a point to visit Lightning whenever she did come to Atlantica.

"He's a wild thing," Melody commented, patting Lightning on the snout. The large seahorse nuzzled her neck after having let out an almost ear-shattering neigh.

"He sure is," Ariel said, patting him in turn. "As wild as Cyclone." Cyclone was a large, black horse they kept in the stables, and Eric's favorite steed (probably because he wouldn't let anyone ride him but Eric.)

"Well, let's be off," Triton said. "The rest of the family is eager to see you all."

They boarded the carriage, and the driver coaxed the seahorses onward. The journey to Atlantica was not incredibly far, but enough to give the travelers time to admire the many sights and sounds of the underwater world.

In between interested glances outside the window, the four occupants exchanged eager conversation about how life had been for them all. Melody silently noted that her mother and grandfather deliberately avoided mention of the stranger, and hoped that it was not for her benefit. Putting the thought aside, she instead focused on how wonderful it was going to be to see everyone. The reunion was to officially take place in three days; that would give time for her and her parents to relax and ease into their surroundings before the celebration took off.

As they travelled, Melody toyed on and off with the idea of bringing up the stranger herself. She didn't want to be impertinent, of course, but her curiosity was eating away at her. When the conversation finally slowed, and she felt that all of the important topics had been covered, she decided to go ahead and ask her grandfather about the stranger.

"So, grandfather," she started, somewhat boldly, "any updates on this...mysterious _stranger?_ "

Ariel made a face indicating that she had a feeling Melody might bring this up. Eric's mouth twitched in an almost-smile; he always admired Melody's spunk, even if it was misplaced sometimes.

Triton, however, was unruffled and answered honestly, "No, Melody, I'm afraid not." He was frowning slightly, as if the situation wasn't alarming so much as it was puzzling. "Our scouts have been diligent, but even the sharpest trackers can't seem to gather any information on this man."

"So he _is_ a man?" Ariel asked.

He nodded. " _That_ much is certain, if nothing else."

"How did you find that out if he's so good at hiding?" Eric asked.

"The most our scouts have reported is that he's a shadowy creature, and that from the waist up, he looks like a merman…" He trailed off, then absently rubbed his chin. He finished, almost under his breath, "...With dusky, gray skin…"

Ariel and Eric exchanged glances.

Melody blinked. "So...he could just be a wayward merman?"

Triton nodded. "That is the likeliest answer." He shook his head. "Still, there is something strange about the whole affair. Whoever he is - whatever he is - he hasn't caused any damage or harm. Our laws don't forbid merfolk from wandering the outskirts of Atlantica, which means I can only take so much action."

"Because he hasn't technically done anything wrong," Ariel finished.

Triton nodded.

"If he did," Melody began, "what would happen next?"

"Well, at that point I would have to send out law enforcement to waylay him," Triton answered wearily. "Of course, that would depend on his crime."

"Strange that no one can pinpoint exactly what he is, though," Eric observed.

"I agree." Triton nodded. "But I think we should all keep our focus on the reunion. It's only in three days. By then, the three of you will be rested and refreshed, and you'll have had plenty of time to reacquaint yourself with the rest of the family."

To this, they all agreed. They spent the remainder of the journey in mild conversation, and while Melody participated, she couldn't quite get her mind off the stranger. She was a curious woman by nature, and usually, the more she couldn't figure something out, the more she wanted to _try_ and figure it out.

This was a different sort of situation, though. Curious as Melody was, she had no intention of actually going out beyond the borders of Atlantica to see if she might spot the stranger. At most, she figured she might be able to wheedle some more information out of her aunts and cousins on the matter. Probably they didn't know any more about it than what grandfather had revealed, but it was worth a shot. She would have even been satisfied with made-up rumors, if it made the situation more interesting.

With a final sight of contentment, she eased down between her parents and fell off into a light doze.

She'd woken up with a start some time later, surprised and wondering where she was. Then it all came back: she was with her parents and grandfather, and they were traveling to Atlantica. She let out a sigh, and glanced bashfully between her mother and father.

"You were asleep," Ariel said quietly.

"I guess I was," she answered in a drowsy voice.

She knew there couldn't be that much time left before they reached the kingdom, and as she sat patiently between her parents, she recalled the brief dream she'd had while sleeping.

She was swimming through the ocean at night, but as a human, not a mermaid. Almost instantly, the moon rose and cast a pale light on her surroundings. She saw fish, seaweed, and anemones suddenly take shape out of the darkness, and they all began to dance, though there was no sound of music. They moved so gracefully, and yet something made her afraid. She looked toward the surface, where the moon had created a pale, shimmery orb of light that danced on top of the waves. Keeping her eyes on the light, she tried swimming to the top, but as she got closer, a large, dark shape appeared out of nowhere and descended very quickly on her.

That's when she woke up.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you, everyone, for your support! I do try to give each character ample amount of screen time, but this will be a Melody-centered fic for the most part. I know you're all wondering who and what this "stranger" is..he isn't gonna be introduced in this chapter, but sit tight, the mystery will be revealed soon! ^_~

Chapter 3

The family was welcomed with a procession as grand as the farewell one they'd received on land.

A long line of merman sentinels stood in formation, creating a sort of runway for the carriage. Beside them, a large gathering of merpeople awaited them. There was also a large assortment of other sea life - fish, dolphins, crustaceans, octopus. Melody's heart raced with excitement as the carriage driver guided the large seahorses down in front of the entrance to the castle.

"Here we are," Triton said.

As they exited the carriage, a loud voice rang out, announcing the titles of the four newcomers. Meloy barely heard it, though, so focused was she on the many new and old faces before her. A loud cheer resounded from the crowd, followed by clapping. Triton nodded to his subjects as he passed them on his way to the entrance. Ariel and Eric followed behind, waving and smiling and offering a friendly greeting to an acquaintance now and then. Melody did likewise. Her eyes lit up as she briefly spotted Jeremy in the crowd. Beside him was a mermaid with blonde hair and a sweet smile on her face. Melody supposed she must be Jeremy's girlfriend.

She waved to them before her attention was drawn to the small red crab who waited at the entrance.

"Sebastian!" She said, before she could stop herself.

Triton was momentarily taken by surprise as a flash of black and red darted past him to embrace the elderly crustacean. Though "embrace" might have been the wrong word, as Melody gently picked him up and held him tenderly to her cheek.

"Welcome back, your Majesty," Sebastian said in his musical accent, embracing the young princess as best as his size would allow.

"You look as young as ever!" She beamed.

He let out a small laugh. "I'm not feelin' it in my shell, though."

Before Sebastian could get another word in, he was greeted by Ariel. She, too, held him affectionately in her hands. The two had been through a lot together, and their bond had always remained very strong throughout the years. Even Eric offered a friendly greeting to the respected, elderly crab.

Before long, though, everyone was ushered inside. Ariel, Eric, and Melody were bombarded by Ariel's sisters and their children. Melody had a permanent smile plastered on her face as dozens of voices greeted them, dozens of arms wrapped around her and her parents, and dozens of arms were passing her from one aunt and cousin to the next. She could barely hear her own voice in all the commotion, but she offered loving hello's to her family, even knowing they would be lost in the din. She was truly happy to see her mother's side of the family, but she had forgotten how crazy these family reunions could get, and was beginning to feel as if she were suffering from slight culture shock.

King Triton's voice rang loudly but happily over the talking aunts, husbands, and merchildren.

"Please, everyone," he announced, "I wish for our beloved family to rest after a long journey. Sebastian?"

"Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Please escort them to their quarters and have chef bring them something to eat."

Sebastian complied, and did his best to swim above the excited crowd of family members and subjects to retrieve Eric, Ariel, and Melody. The latter seemed momentarily silent, and so Sebastian grabbed the chance and swam over to the dark-haired princess.

"Melody, child," he said, "if you could help me gather your parents…"

"Oh, yes," she said, and swam over to them. "Come on, mom, dad - Sebastian's too old to get your attention, he wants to take us to our rooms."

"Alright," Ariel said, letting go of Andrina's hands. She'd been happily chatting with her sister and marveling at how much her two children had grown. No one felt as if there was nearly enough time to catch up, but they knew it was best to let the three arrivals rest and get refreshed before the real fun began. "I'll catch up with you all later!" Ariel called, as Melody pulled her mother's hand to follow Sebastian.

Eric, in turn, had said farewell to the group he'd fallen into conversation with. Over the years, during visits to Atlantica, he had grown to be good friends with the husband's of Ariel's sisters. Two in particular, as some of the sisters had moved to other kingdom's where their husbands were from. Most had stayed in Atlantica, though, but it wasn't easy keeping up close friendships when you lived in another world entirely (not to mention that it was sometimes tricky keeping track of Ariel's extensive family.)

Presently, the noise from the family and welcoming committee died down, and the excitement gradually drained from their systems as they were led down much quieter halls. The few merfolk and fish they passed on the way to their quarters greeted them happily. Everyone in Atlantica had been looking forward to Ariel and her family's visit.

"Here we are," Sebastian said, stopping in front of a large shell-shaped door. "His Majesty has provided your rooms with everything you could need. And this one is yours, Melody," he indicated a separate room for her.

"Wow, I get my room this time?"

"Yes," the crab chuckled, "the last two times you came to visit, His Majesty received an impromptu visit from foreign delegates and had hardly any room to spare."

"I remember," she said with a smile. "Not an easy thing to run out of room in a castle, but somehow he'd managed it! Well, let's hope we don't get any impromptu visits this time."

"Thanks, Sebastian," Ariel said. "It's so good to be back."

"Anytime, Ariel. Now, I must go help His Majesty with the final preparations for the reunion. You three are the last to arrive, but there is still much to be done. And I'll have the servants bring you all some fine cuisine to hold you until dinner."

"We'll see you," Melody waved as Sebastian swam off.

"Well," Ariel sighed, "how was that for an arrival?"

"Exciting as ever," Eric said, "I miss those nice, big family gatherings sometimes. Remember, I grew up with only one sister, and she moved to a foreign country before I even met you. Family reunions were always too hard to arrange, what with royal duties."

Ariel giggled. "Well, I'm glad my side of the family can make up for that." They embraced each other.

"I'm gonna get freshened up," Melody said, lifting her satchel. "Even though we're underwater, I feel like my hair could do with a brush."

Her parents laughed, and agreed to meet with her after they all had a short rest.

Melody opened the clamshell door to her temporary quarters and was met with a lovely, familiar sight. In spite of her human heritage, she was, by right, a princess of Atlantica. That meant that these rooms were more than just guest quarters - it was their home away from home.

Melody's room was large and spacious, with a huge, ornate mirror resting above an elegant dresser made of pale coral. The mirror was made almost entirely out of rare seashells and pearls. Her bed was a large, polished clamshell with a soft comforter and pillows made from a soft material sewn in a pale pink. She noticed, too, that some of the items she'd collected in the past during her excursions to the kingdom were still carefully kept in her drawers.

Her room even had an extensive closet, although the merfolk didn't dress the way humans did. Hers was still filled with the odd bit of clothing kept for special occasions - a whimsical headpiece, a shimmery cape for the colder seasons, various colored seashells. Melody, having been raised in a human environment, had never taken to wearing nothing but seashells. She was more comfortable with a sleeveless blouse, much like the one she'd worn as a youth.

With a sigh, she sat on the bed. 'It's so good to be here,' she thought as she lied back down.

She closed her eyes, replaying their journey to Atlantica, and even briefly touched over the unusual dream she'd had. She saw the many faces of her aunts and cousins, and many acquaintances and friends she'd made among the sea creatures, too. It was all so wonderful, but for now she was grateful to have some peace and quiet and decompress from the journey, the crowds, and of course from her transformation into a mermaid.

* * *

The next morning greeted the inhabitants of the kingdom with a glorious sunrise.

The rays of the morning light trickled down from the surface, cutting through the water and lighting up the coral-filled wilderness with splendor. The castle was no exception, either. As the dawn continued, Atlantica was bathed in one of the most beautiful mornings anyone had seen in a long time. Myriads of fish came out from their dwellings and began searching the flora for something to eat.

As those in the kingdom gradually awakened, the castle was soon brought to life.

Triton had a beautiful breakfast prepared for the entire family at the banquet table. The timing was a little tricky, as everyone seemed to wake up at separate hours, but when they had all gathered at the table it was a beautiful sight to behold. The dining hall was as magnificent as Melody had remembered it.

The fare beneath the ocean was something that both Eric and Melody had to get used to, but there were still many things available that were more suited to their palate.

Over breakfast, the family buzzed about the upcoming reunion.

Triton said, "Sebastian had hardly let me get a wink of sleep." He chuckled. "He wants to make sure that all the arrangements are perfect and that nothing goes wrong."

"I'm sure he has everything well under control," Eric said with a fond, amused smile.

"That he has," the King answered. "Though I have to admit, I don't recall family reunions being so tiring."

Laughter rippled across the table, and then the discussion fell to what everyone had planned for the day. Apparently, Arista and Attina had appointments with the royal hairdresser so that they would look their best for the reunion. Aquata, the only one of Triton's daughters who hadn't married, volunteered to take Attina's children out for a day of fun while their mother spent some time at the spa. Adella and her husband, Art, were going to use the day to visit the museum (which she had promised to show him the next time they were in Atlantica.)

At this point, Andrina piped up, "I get first dibs on Melody, then!" She turned to her niece, and said with a smile, "I want to introduce you to Murrey today!"

Melody beamed. "I'd love that! I've been wanting to meet him for some time!"

"Perfect! Alexander will be fine at the castle, you know how teenager's are," she said, referring to her only son. "And Alon already said he wouldn't mind at all if I spent the day with my favorite niece."

"This is great! When can we head out?"

"After breakfast, and...probably after our food settles down." She stifled a giggle.

Melody's brow lifted. "Oh?"

Andrina nodded. "Yeah, you see, Murrey's gonna wanna give you a ride, and he's a wild thing."

"No kidding?" Melody was intrigued, and instantly thought of Lightning and Cyclone. As long as Murrey wasn't wilder than those two, she thought she could handle it.

Ariel glanced at her sister, almost skeptically. "How wild is Murrey, anyway?"

"Aw, sis, you've met him! He's not _really_ wild, just rambunctious."

"Well, I've met him, but I haven't actually ridden him." She leaned back in her chair, but Eric put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, sweetie. Andrina wouldn't put Melody in any danger. Besides," he added, almost under his breath, "she's not a little girl anymore."

Ariel breathed out a small sigh. "I know…" She shook her head. "Since when did I become so motherly?"

A fond smile spread over Triton's face. "Yes, it seems like only yesterday when _you_ were the one getting into trouble and begging me to ride wild steeds. Nevertheless," he looked at Andrina, "make sure Murrey doesn't get too carried away. Dolphins aren't always aware of their own strength."

"I promise we'll be careful, dad," Andrina said.

Melody nodded, biting her lip and trying not to feel as though she'd just been coddled. She knew her parents would always see her as their little girl, but did the whole family have to treat her like she was a young teen? She shook her head. She decided to give them the benefit of the doubt - besides, she didn't want the beautiful morning ruined by false suppositions.

"Well, let's wait a little bit and then go out to meet him," she said. "It's been a while since I've been here, and meeting a fun dolphin sounds like the perfect way to get acquainted with the sea."

Andrina smiled. "It's a plan."

* * *

An hour later found Melody saying a quick farewell to her parents.

They told her to have fun (Ariel with the slightest trace of doubt on her face, which Melody tried to ignore), and soon she and her aunt were headed out into the blue.

"Now that we've got some one-on-one time," Andrina started conversationally, "tell me - how does it feel being a mermaid again?"

"It's takes a little getting used to, but the adjustment came a lot faster than I thought it would."

"It's so good to have you and your parents here. And not to sound like a typical aunt, but I've got to say it: you've grown so much!"

Melody chuckled, a little embarrassed. "I guess I have." She paused, then added, "It's hard, though...I mean, mom and dad are trying to find a husband for me, and I feel like I've gone through so many suitors lately. It's tough…"

The blonde mermaid nodded. "I know how you feel. Your grandpa tried pressuring some of your aunts into that as well, I mean those who didn't marry as soon as he would have liked. Thankfully, we all got to choose who we wanted to marry."

"Except Aquata."

"True...you know, Aquata always says that she just never found the right guy, but…" She trailed off, as if unsure whether she should continue or not.

Melody was about to press her, but Andrina continued, "This is just between you and me, but I've always had a suspicion that Aquata was in love with someone that dad wouldn't have approved of, and that maybe that's why she stayed single."

Melody wasn't expecting that. She looked at her aunt with interest. "What makes you think that?"

"I looked into her diary once." She gave a hollow chuckle. "And...she'd written something about a guy she'd been meeting up with, but that she'd never tell dad about it."

"That sounds like more than a suspicion," Melody observed. "She all but confessed it, by the sound of it…"

Andrina nodded. "True, but that was some time ago. If it were just a teenage crush, wouldn't she have gotten over it and found a merman that your grandfather would have accepted?"

Melody thought this over. "...I wonder who he was, the guy that aunt Aquata was in love with…"

"I don't know," Andrina said in a distant voice. "I'd tried asking her about it before...without, you know, revealing that I'd looked into her diary. But she always acted as if she didn't have her sights on anyone."

"That's kinda sad."

"I agree."

They fell silent for a while, but eventually Andrina snapped out of her thoughts when she spotted a cave up ahead.

"Here we are," she said, excitement apparent in her voice.

Melody spotted the cave, too. It wasn't small, but wasn't exactly large, either. It sat on the seabed, surrounded by plants and large rocks. It wasn't that far from the main coral reef that surrounded the kingdom.

"It sure is beautiful here," Melody observed. "Does Murrey live in that cave?"

"When he wants to." Andrina grinned. Then she promptly let out a sharp whistle.

Melody hovered by, waiting to see what would happen.

Then a tiny sound reached her ears and grew steadily louder. Suddenly, a large bottlenose dolphin emerged from the cave, which told her that the sound had to have come from his tail fluke.

"Murrey!" Andrina waved.

The dolphin let out an excited squeal and shot out toward Andrina. Just as he approached, Andrina caught his gracefully around his middle, and they both swirled in what must have passed for a greeting. Melody stood by, awed by the sight; Murrey was the largest dolphin she'd ever seen!

When the two friends had said their hello's, Andrina placed a hand on Murrey's back. She reached the other out toward Melody by way of introduction.

"Melody, this is Murrey!"


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Before Melody had a chance to offer a greeting, Murrey had paddled up to her and bumped her affectionately under the chin.

She giggled, and reached out a hand to stroke him along the back. "Nice to finally meet you, Murrey!"

"I've heard so much about you, princess," he said in a high-pitched voice.

The surprise on her face must have shown, because Andrina swam up to her. "He can speak our language," she chuckled.

"Wow," Melody smiled. "I have to admit, I'm amazed - not every dolphin can!"

Murrey nodded. "I've practiced your language my whole life. I'm an old pro!"

"You certainly are!" Andrina patted him affectionately. "You don't even have an accent."

They shared a laugh, and then Murrey turned his attention back to Melody. "So you're really from the surface, huh? The King must have pulled some of his fancy finwork to get you down here! What's it like living on land?"

"Well, it's definitely different," she answered, not knowing what to say all at once, "but, the same in some ways, too. First of all, gravity is completely different on land than it is in the ocean."

The dolphin laughed. It sounded like a long string of small, popping bubbles, and it was infectious. "That beats everything," he said, when he had calmed down. "Say, why don't we go tour the coral beds? The lobsters have all but taken it over in the past week. Been a real show seeing them chase away all the other inhabitants."

"It's true," Andrina said to Melody. "No one wants to confront the lobsters, mostly because their young are about to hatch."

"Oh, I see," Melody smiled. "I'd love to check it out, let's go!"

Murrey led them the short distance to the coral beds. In spite of the short trek, though, Melody was slightly surprised to find that the coral beds actually sat a short way off from a sea cliff. Her interest was immediately on the cliff instead of on the beds.

"What is _that?_ " She asked.

Andrina and Murrey looked to where she'd pointed. " _That?_ " Murrey answered. "That's just an old crevice, it doesn't go far down. Been there a hundred times."

"Had it always been there?" She didn't remember having seen it before, and she was fairly familiar with any and all places within Atlantica.

"Sure, so far as I can remember."

"I'd gone down there once or twice myself," Andrina put in, as they continued on toward the coral beds. "But there isn't anything interesting down there. It looks a lot deeper from here than it really is."

Melody remained silent, and re-focused her attention back on what they'd come to see.

True to Murrey's word, the coral beds were positively teeming with lobsters - so much that Melody really did forget the chasm for a moment. She'd been to the coral bed before, but had never seen this many lobsters congregated in it. Some of them were enormous.

"Wow," she breathed, as they hovered within a short distance.

"What'd I tell you?" Murrey said, fairly swelling with pride.

They spent a good ten minutes or so admiring the bed's new occupants. Andrina had wondered a little way ahead of Murrey and Melody.

"How long did you say this has been going on?" Andrina asked her friend.

Murrey swam ahead beside her and said something Melody didn't catch.

She was amazed at the coral beds, which were always beautiful, but to see it crawling with red, purple, and black lobsters was a new sight to behold.

Even so, an idea suddenly came to her, and she struggled for a moment whether or not to act on it. She shook her tail fin once, gently, moving toward her aunt and Murrey, but then she stopped. Pausing for a second, she impulsively swam away from the two and headed over to the chasm sitting only a short distance away.

As she peered over the edge, she couldn't help but think that Andrina and Murrey had been wrong. The chasm most certainly had to be deep; not only could she not see the bottom, but a faint waft of cold water drifted up from somewhere in its depths. She shivered.

'I _know_ I haven't seen this place before,' she thought. It puzzled her greatly, for all the times she'd visited her second home beneath the sea and had traveled to the coral beds. There was no way she would have missed something like this.

She allowed herself to float to the ground and rested there, still studying the great, dark hole. She supposed it was possible that Murrey had simply taken them to a different coral bed - after all, there were many of them around Atlantica. But she was so certain that she knew the kingdom well enough to recognize one place from another.

'I wonder…' She eased herself up, and inched closer to the edge.

Her heart skipped a beat when she caught the faintest glimmer of light down below. She held still, hardly breathing, waiting for it to appear again. And sure enough, it did.

It was a pale, silvery sort of light, and it shone intermittently. It reminded her of light bouncing off the small glass wind chimes at the castle.

She glanced back at the coral beds. She could see Andrina and Murrey a distance away; they seemed to have fallen into conversation with one of the larger, purple lobsters. It gave Melody renewed confidence for what she was about to do.

'There must be a beautiful shell or some kind of trinket down there,' she thought.

Melody's favorite hobby had always been collecting trinkets, treasures, and oddments from beneath the sea. How wonderful would it be to find something rare and beautiful in such a dark, mysterious place? Maybe it was something she could bring back home and use to create another wind chime.

She hesitated a moment, but reminded herself that Andrina and Murrey had testified as to the hole's safety. They said they'd been down there before, and that it really wasn't that deep…

'Well, it's now or never,' she thought, knowing that her two companions would notice her missing eventually.

Her heart rate quickened as she swam over the edge and down into the chasm toward the faint light that still flickered on and off.

At first, she was alarmed at how quickly the light disappeared. She'd barely gone down ten feet before the darkness began swallowing it up. She breathed a little faster, but was determined to investigate the glimmering object...or what she assumed was an object. She was fairly certain it wasn't a living thing because of the movement. Besides, she wanted to be able to say that she, too, had explored the chasm.

Lower and lower she swam, and finally glanced upward. The light now seemed far away, though really she couldn't have been down that deep yet. "Dark down here," she said out loud to herself, as if to make sure the darkness hadn't swallowed up her voice.

Almost afraid to look down again for fear of losing sight of what light there was left, she spotted the quick flash of silvery light. It was much closer now, and the thought of finding a potentially magnificent treasure spurned her on.

'If Andrina and Murrey can do this, so can I,' she pep-talked herself.

At long last, the light was directly in front of her, and she tentatively reached out a hand to touch it. It was small, about the size of her hand, and felt perhaps like a shard of glass. It was jagged and pointed at the end, and very thin. She frowned, hoping she hadn't come all the way down here just for a shard of glass. She held it up and tilted it this way and that, and although it caught the light beautifully, she was doubtful that it was anything extraordinary.

Eager to get out of the chasm, she thought, 'I'll keep this anyway, as a souvenir.'

She was taken by surprise when a sudden surge of cold water drifted powerfully up toward her. Her heart started beating fast again, and before she knew it, she was being pulled a strong current. She let out a cry of dismay as she looked up and saw the light growing smaller; the current was pulling her away from the top.

She struggled to fight against it, but it was all she could to to remain where she was. A sudden strong surge sent her careening off into the blackness, she knew not in which direction. She must have cried out in fear and surprise, but her senses were overwhelmed. She instinctively clutched the shard in her hand, having nothing else to cling to.

It seemed like hours before the strong flow of cold water ceased, but could only have been minutes. And of course, by the time it had stopped altogether, she had no idea where she was - the light from the top of the chasm was gone.

"Oh please," she breathed in a whisper, desperately fighting off panic. "Oh please…" How was she supposed to find her way back out without the light?

She could practically hear her heart beating in her ears.

"I need to get out of here," she said out loud again. The darkness and the depth seemed to swallow up the small sound of her voice.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when a voice answered, "Stay calm."

With a gasp, she turned in the direction of the voice. "Who's there?" She demanded.

"Stay calm," the voice repeated again, more slowly. It was a man's voice, low and steady.

"Who are you?" Melody asked again, feeling that staying calm was the last thing she was able to do at the moment. "Are you from the castle?"

No answer came at first, but soon the voice replied, "No. But I'm here to help."

He - whatever he was - had moved a little closer. Knowing how frightened the woman was, he continued, "You got caught in the current, it pulled you down past the safety zone."

"Oh," she replied, in a hollow voice, "...is _that_ what happened…" She was overwhelmed by the presence of this stranger in lieu of what had just happened. Only a moment ago, she'd been terribly fearful of being alone in a dark, unfamiliar place. Now that someone was here, she wasn't sure whether to be grateful or fearful - after all, who on earth would be down in a place like this, all by himself?

"You're scared," he said. "It's going to be alright, just take a deep breath."

In spite of the fact that she couldn't see this person, his voice was very soothing, and she did as he asked. She inhaled deeply, and exhaled, trying to relax her nerves. She nodded, "Ok...I'm fine…"

"Good," he said, barely above a whisper. "Now, I'll lead you up and out of here. Don't be scared, just take my hand."

At first, she was inclined to think this ridiculous. Why would she take his hand? She didn't know who or what he was - was he going to lead her out of this place like some guppy? But in a split second her senses came back, and she realized that, naturally, in the pitch black, she would have to be led out of this place somehow, and it certainly wouldn't be by sight.

"Ok," she said, albeit uncertainty. She couldn't see anything at all in darkness this thick, but he apparently could, as he took her hand in his the moment she reached hers out. It was a human hand, and she decided that he must be some rogue or wayward merman. It comforted her, and the tension left her shoulders.

"Just hang on," he said, and immediately moved forth with her hand in his.

She was a little shocked at the speed and power with which he shot forward. Although she couldn't see anything, she felt the water rush past her in powerful spurts. In the dark, it was hard not to be afraid of the sensation.

To her immense relief, the light from the chasm's entrance appeared much quicker than she expected.

"I wasn't that far from it," she marveled out loud.

"It's ok. You're not the only one who's been caught in the current before."

"Thank you for helping me," she said, still wondering who this strange person was.

After a minute, he stopped, his hand still holding her wrist. He hovered in the water without a word, and Melody wondered what was going on. When the silence lingered, a slight trace of misgiving caught in her chest, but at last he spoke:

"Your name is Melody...isn't it?"

His keen eyes must have seen the shock on her face, because he continued, "...Everyone knows what King Triton's first granddaughter looks like."

She let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. "Yes...I'm her." Perhaps it wasn't wise to have let a complete stranger know who she was, but he'd clearly already guessed. Besides, if he had wanted to engage in criminal activity, such as ransom, undoubtedly he would have kept her down in the chasm instead of leading her out.

There was just enough light present to illuminate the very top of their heads.

She suddenly asked, "Why don't you reveal yourself?"

Even in the dark, she knew he was staring hard at her. For a moment, she thought he was going to refuse, but then slowly - almost hesitantly - he allowed his face to be revealed in the light.

Melody instantly knew who it was - or at least, who she had heard about.

Her eyes went wide, and her mouth hung open. Fear washed over her anew, but she somehow found herself saying, "You're...you're _him_ , aren't you? The one we've been hearing rumors about?"

He nodded once. He had the same pale-grey skin that her grandfather had described. His brows were dark, and his hair an almost shocking shade of white. His eyes were the palest blue, and stared at her with a deep, almost pained intensity.

Melody breathed out. "Why? ...Why have you been hiding from the merfolk?"

He never broke her gaze, but answered, "It's a long story, but...I can give you the short one." Instead of speaking, though, he swam upward so that the light was cast on his entire form.

Melody could not help but back away. Her limbs felt numb and her chest tightened. She was at a loss for words, for some time. But eventually she spoke:

"You're...you're an _octopan…_ "


End file.
